DAD’S LEGACY
My dad has been gone ten years, and people still come up to me and tell me about what kind of man he was. They tell beautiful and unique stories that always weave in the same three words: he was kind, forthright, and honorable. He didn’t set out to build a legacy. He just kept being that man showing up at the anvil, across the table at a gun and knife show, and for his family.
Dad was born to Parks and Sarah Low in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1941. He was given his father’s name and carried it well. He joined the Boy Scouts of America following in his father’s footsteps. In 1963, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served on board the USS Saratoga and USS Constellation working top side as a Personnelman. After honorably serving his country for four years, he attended North Carolina State University (NCSU) and graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry. He parlayed that degree into a long, storied career working for the State of North Carolina with the Department of Water Quality. He really enjoyed being outdoors where he could experience the peace and tranquility. I always thought it was really cool to ask him about his work. His knowledge of North Carolina’s small towns and native wildlife was impressive to say the least, but the fact he never referenced an encyclopedia was remarkable. He just knew.
His love for nature and putting in an honest day’s work led him to pursue blacksmithing as a hobby. In 1976, he bought his first forge and anvil and started a journey that he would never have been able to predict. He quickly learned the art of blacksmithing and was thirsty for knowledge. Through his attention to detail, resourcefulness, and resilience the beauty in his artistry emerged.
In 1983, Dad wrote to Jim Graham, the Agricultural Commissioner for the State of North Carolina. In his letter, he requested that an old garden shed at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds be made available to the North Carolina Chapter of the Artist Blacksmith’s Association of North America (NCABANA) for the purpose of educating the general public about the art of blacksmithing. He understood how critical it was to inspire the next generation of blacksmiths. Graham honored his request, and the shop was built with the help of many fellow blacksmiths. In 1984, it opened during the NC State Fair to an excited public.
In 1998, twenty-two years after he bought that first forge, Dad retired from the Department of Water Quality. His newfound free time and love for knives drove him to start creating his own knives and cutting tools. He focused on utility in the design of his knives. Watching his work change in scope to align with his passion was wonderful.
In 2013, my relationship with my Dad changed in a way that was unexpected yet ideal. Dad knew I was struggling to find my place in this world. He changed the trajectory of my life with one perfect question. He asked, “How would you like to make a couple of thousand dollars this year?” If anyone other than him had asked, I would have been highly skeptical. I looked at him with a sideways glance and exclaimed, “Uh yeah!! Wait, how?” He explained that as he was getting older, his back was starting to bother him, and he needed help making dinner gongs for the NC State Fair. They were his staple product, so I knew this was a big deal.
What happened next was magnificent. Before I knew it, he and I were spending a lot of time together. I got to hang out with Dad while he taught me how to forge metal. He was by far my favorite person at that point in my life. Little did I realize that he was teaching me life skills that would change how I interacted with the world. He showed me creativity of process is just as important as any other skill learned in the blacksmith shop.
I learned that a used pill bottle is not trash. Rather, it is storage for small screws, rivets, or drill bits. He taught me that tracking inventory closely, and watching how it changes over time, can be the difference between success and failure. Most importantly, he demonstrated to me that with personal integrity, your business will thrive. People can feel intentions in a business transaction that are unspoken. Just because there is a fad in the market doesn’t mean you should follow it to chase a dollar sign. Customers, clients, and fellow professionals would rather do business with someone who is ready to lose a sale over compromising their beliefs and values.
Through our shared passion for blacksmithing and cutlery, we decided together that I would take over the business. He wanted me learning the ordering, the inventory, and everything else that came with it while he was still around to guide me. When his health started to decline, I continued blacksmithing and running shows while he stayed home. There was never any paperwork or handshakes to pass Deerfield Forge to Deerfield Cutlery. He just knew that I would keep doing business the way he taught me. Amazing knives at fair prices, and people treated right.
Dad’s legacy in the knife industry and blacksmithing community is unparalleled. He knew he wasn’t creating the most technical or beautiful art. Rather he knew living an honest and intentional life focusing on authenticity was what he wanted to be remembered for. That is what he taught me and that is his legacy today. I can only pray I keep his life’s work alive in a way that honors him as a blacksmith, business owner, good person, but also as my Dad.